Stepping into a pineapple

The warming humidity and frost-free temperatures, offer a great potential for one of the most subtropical crops cultivated in Eastern Cape today - pineapple farming. According to whfoods.org, pineapples are actually not made up of one fruit but, are composed of many flowers, whose individual fruitlets are fused together around the central core. Its tough hexagonal scales, topped with sword-shaped leaves, protect the nutritional yellow treasure within. Grown for its fibrous, wide cylindrical flesh, this fruit is most famously known for its vibrant tropical flavour, which balances the taste of both sweet and tart. With my taste buds tingling for more, I decided to take a step into one of South Africa’s largest industries.

Just off the R67, about 20km from Port Alfred, one farm in particular, has become a symbol of the Eastern Capes pineapple industry. On the outskirts of a small town, called Bathurst, Summerhill Farm contains the largest artificial pineapple in the world. Standing 16.7 metres tall, this overwhelmingly enormous structure is a tribute to the agricultural success of the cutting-edge fruit.

As I drove towards the entrance of the farm, the bright yellow fibre-glassed monument caught my eye straight away. Situated right on top of a heaped hill, the structure looks down across acres of beautiful farming crops. Amongst the heart of the crops, the reddish-pink buds peek through there spiked leaves, indicating that there infant reproduction stage has begun. A smooth-cemented runway leads my feet to the entrance of the monument where I find myself pressing the coined shaped bell. A buzzing shock of sound burst through me as I was about to explore the interior of a fruit, through the eye of a small insect.

The first floor of the cylindrical-shaped building contained shelves packed with fresh pineapples, picked from the crops a few days before. The shop was filled with tourist favourites such as beaded jewelry and a variety of souvenirs, like colourful T-shirts.

Ranging from canned to finger-food treats, local pineapple produce could be seen curving around the room in almost every form possible, for very cheap prices. “We try to incorporate and support as much local farm produce around here as possible” said the woman behind the till, who wished to remain anonymous.

The ‘oohs and aahs’ of relieving moans, spilled out from two men, who had joined me inside, as they sank their teeth into some of the freshly-cut fruit from the farm. As they scurried over to the shelves to examine some jams, I made my way to the counter. Before you are allowed to venture further up into the fruit, a small entrance fee of R10 for adults and R5 for students and children, need to be met. Climbing the steep staircase, spiralling up to the second floor, I was soon faced with historical knowledge placed around the room.

To celebrate the raging success of the industry, 16 local producers, who were members of the agricultural community, in Bathurst, decided to combine their skills and enthusiasm into conceiving a place to give visitors a fun-filled insight into RSA pineapple cultivation processing and marketing. Under the leadership of Barrie Purdon, this fibre-glassed structure, covered in steel and metal, was completed between 1990 and 1992 on Summerhill Estate. After 12 months of construction visitors were able to learn more about the history of the unique pineapple plant as well as the cultivation and processing of the crops.

Another important factor that they wanted to achieve was to teach the younger generation. Easy-to-read posters, pinned to the walls, are flooded with big images and tales told by various pineapple farmers, while static displays cover the floor; allowing a physical view of various tools used within harvesting. To further the experience a tractor/trailer tour can be taken through the farm and on the third floor of this construction, visitors can even observe a mini-documentary explaining how they harvest the produce, step-by-step.

With my head full of new knowledge about my surrounding environment, the final staircase, filled with light in the dark auditorium, exits out onto the final fourth floor of the big pineapple. A 360 degree view waits under the shaded-metal green crown. As you observe the breath-taking views it really makes you appreciate the pivotal role that the industry in promoting pineapple consumption in the province has.

Crawling all the way back down and out through the small doorway below, the biggest pineapple in the world stood facing me once more. Situated in such a small town, this local treasure serves to remind the public at how big the pineapple industry has grown. Today, approximately 80 000 tons, which is more than 90% of the crop is exported worldwide.